Garment with a removable secret pocket flap

ABSTRACT

A garment with a pocket opening either in patch pocket form or otherwise is provided with a secret pocket and flap that is attached either to the upper edge of the main pocket or to the garment or adapted to be inserted through the garment cloth into a pocket within the garment, but at the same time this flap is attached at all times to one side or the other of the pocket and when it is pulled out and allowed to depend from the upper edge of the pocket its own pocket is readily accessible. When the flap and the secret pocket is returned to the main pocket the opening of the flap pocket will lie against one wall of the pocket and closed by the main flap from access by a hand extended into the main pocket. The flap can also be long and its pocket can be extended downwardly beyond the lower end of the pocket and into a pocket on the inner wall of the garment cloth, the garment cloth having been provided with an opening through which the flap and its pocket can be extended.

United States Patent Oliver [54] GARMENT WITH A REMOVABLE SECRET POCKETFLAP Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney-Polachek, Saulsbury &l-lough [5 7 ABSTRACT A garment with a pocket opening either in patchpocket form or otherwise is provided with a secret pocket and flap thatis attached either to the upper edge of the main pocket or to thegarment or adapted to be inserted through the garment cloth into apocket within the garment, but at the same time this flap is attached atall times to one side or the other of the pocket and when it is pulledout and allowed to depend from the upper edge of the pocket its ownpocket is readily accessible. When the flap and the secret pocket isreturned to the main pocket the opening of the flap pocket will lieagainst one wall of the pocket and closed by the main flap from accessby a hand extended into the main pocket. The flap can also be long andits pocket can be extended downwardly beyond the lower end of the pocketand into a pocket on the inner wall of the garment cloth, the garmentcloth having been provided with an opening through which the flap andits pocket can be extended.

2 Claims, 21 Drawing Figures PATENTED SE? 5 I972 SHEET 1 0f 3 INVENTOR.

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GARMENT WITH A REMOVABLE SECRET POCKET FLAP This invention relates to asecret pocket provided upon a flap extendable into and out of the mainpocket opening.

It is a principle object of the present invention to provide a secretpocket which can be readily accessible to include in the secret pocketany articles such as a purse or billfold, but upon the secret pocketbeing reinserted into the main pocket opening the secret pocket isclosed by the flap itself so that upon the hand of an intruder beingextended into the main pocket there is no access to the secret flappocket and the intruder will not readily find the purse or billfold thatlies within the secret pocket.

It is another object of the invention to provide a secret pocketcontained on the flap that can be taken out of or extended into a mainpocket from its upper edge opening and wherein the flap can be madesufficiently long to extend to the bottom of a deep pocket opening oreven through a wall in the garment cloth to lie withinside of the coatwhen drawn into the main pocket opening.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a secret flap pocketthat is inaccessible to an intruder in which access to the secret pocketis not easily made known by one observing something being applied to thesecret pocket, the secret pocket, the secret pocket by color appearingas an ordinary pocket on a coat but when installed inside of the pocketopening the articles contained therein are inaccessible to an ordinaryintruder and wherein if the secret pocket and the flap is withdrawn, thewearer of the coat is readily informed of the attempt to rob the wearerof the coat of her purse or billfold or any articles of value.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a secret pocketconstruction which is made of a minimum number of pieces, easy toinstall upon the pocket opening, has easy access for one who knows theconstruction, can be installed upon an ordinary pocket opening by simplyattaching its flap end to the upper edge of the pocket, light in weight,effective and efficient in use.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to thefollowing detailed construction, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of one side panel of atop coat bearing the pocket structure of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the pocketstructure, the safety pocket lifted out from the top edge of the pocket.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the lifted out safety pocket asviewed on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 3 with the safetypocket flap partly folded up to efiect closing of its opening prior tobeing inserted into the coat pocket.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 4 after the foldedup safety pocket and flap has been lowered into the outer pocket of thetop coat.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a slightly modified form ofconstruction wherein the top coat pocket is of a length to include thelength of the flap and the safety pocket so that the safety pocket willlie in the bottom of the pocket with the wallet contents and the handwhen inserted would have to be extended the full depth of the pocket inorder to remove the safety pocket and to greater extend the forms of theinvention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a modified construction whereinthe secret pocket extends into a further pocket and extended through anopening in the upper edge of the outer pocket inwardly thereof continuesinto a pocket provided on the inside wall of a coat, a flap beingextended over the opening in the top edge of the outer pocket.

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the secret pocket flap beingplaced into an opening in the inner wall of the outer pocket and coveredby a flap and snap.

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view of a still further form of theinvention wherein the secret pocket is extended into a supplementarypocket disposed outwardly of the outer pocket and closed by a buttonflap.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of a still further form of theinvention wherein the secret pocket is disposed behind the wall of thecoat and closed by a slide fastener device located at the upper edge ofthe outer pocket and on the inner wall of the coat.

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view of a form of the invention shown inFIG. 10 but with the secret pocket drawn through the slide fasteneropening to be accessible for the insertion of a wallet or other articleand brought outwardly over the upper edge of the outer pocket.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a trouser having a side pocket andwith the secret pocket of the present invention withdrawn from the sidepocket.

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of a trouser pocket with a secretpocket having been inserted thereinto.

FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of a suit coat having a secretpocket flap pulled outwardly from a top breast pocket.

FIG. 15 is a front elevational view of a suit coat after the secretpocket and flap has been returned to the breast pocket.

FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of a scarf with a secret pocket ofthe present invention drawn from a pocket in the end of the scarf.

FIG. 17 is a similar front perspective view as shown in FIG. 16 and withthe secret pocket and its flap rolled up and extended into the mainpocket of the scarf.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a money belt having a pocket and withthe secret pocket and flap withdrawn therefrom.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 18, but with the secretpocket rolled up and extended into the money belt pocket.

FIG. 20 is a front elevational view of one side of a coat having abreast pocket wherein the flap and the secret pocket is of such lengthas to accommodate specticles.

FIG. 21 is a view similar to FIG. 20, but with the secret pocket andflap folded into the breast pocket with the specticles.

Referring now, particularly to FIGS. 1 to 5, there is shown a top orovercoat 25 having a large side pocket 26 in the form of a patch pocketon the side of the coat stitched at the bottom at 27 and this stitchingextends up the sides to secure the pocket 26 to the outer surface of thecoat 25. This pocket 26 has an upper edge and according to the presentinvention there is sewn to this upper edge at 28 a long flap 29, thesewing being with the upper edge of the flap 29 lying within and overtop edge 31 of the pocket 26. This flap has a length when pulled out ofthe pocket 26 that is nearly twice the depth of the regular pocket 26and has a secret pocket 32 open at 33 about halfway down the length ofthe extended flap 29 so as to receive an article such as a purse 34,this pocket is effected by stitching 3S and is closed at the bottom andsides as with any patch pocket.

When the flap 29 is withdrawn from the pocket and allowed to be extendedtherefrom access is had to the opening 33 into the secret pocket 32 andthe pocket 32 will appear somewhat as the pocket 26, but is not actuallythe same pocket or a part thereof.

The flap 29 is returned with the article to the main pocket 26 byfolding upwardly as shown in FIG. 4 and thereafter taking the pocketwith the article and flap and dropping it into the upper opening of theregular patch pocket 26 as best seen in FIG. 5. If anyone inserts a handinto the pocket 26 immediate access is not had to the purse 34 and bythe time that the purse was removed along with the long flap 29 thewearer of the coat will be alerted to anyone attempting to rob hispocket of the contents. As to how to gain access thereto it would notreadily be apparent to one who did not have this type of pocket on hisown garment.

In FIG. 6 a patch pocket stitched upon the coat either on the outside orit may be a pocket inside the lining of the coat is made extra long ordeep, as indicated at 36 so that one inserting their hand into thepocket 36 would have to insert it a considerable distance in order tofeel the purse 37. The pocket 36 includes an outer member 38 which isstitched at 39 inside the upper edge of the pocket 36 and to the pocketmember 38. The flap, as indicated at 41 when returned to the pocketwould fall into the bottom thereof. In other words the purse which is ina pocket 42 on the flap 41 will not have been rolled up to beaccommodated in the pocket but its full flap 41 is generally equal inlength to the pocket member 38. It can be seen that one trying to get tothe pocketbook 37 would have to insert his hand a great distance inorder to gain access to the lower edge of the flap 41 and lift it fromthe pocket 36.

In FIG. 7, a coat outer wall 45 has a lining 46. An outer pocket 47 issecured by the stitching 48 to the outer coat wall 45 to provide anupper edge 49 and this pocket 47 has inwardly thereof a pocket 51 thatis stitched at 52 to the coat cloth 45 and in addition to having a mainaccess opening 53 at the top thereof closed by an internal flap S4stitched to the upper edge 49 of the outer pocket 47 by stitching 55 andcloses an opening 56 that extends between the inner pocket 51 and theouter pocket 47. The present secret flap pocket 47 has a long flap 58that is stitched at 59 to the upper edge 49 of the outer pocket 47. Thisflap S8 is at least the length of the outer pocket 47 and longer so asto extend through an opening 61 lying below the stitching S2 of thepocket 51 and between the pockets 47 and 51 into which the secret pocket47 on the flap 58 can be extended. The opening 61 extends into a pocketformed by cloth material 62 extending between the liner 46 and the clothwall 45, and is attached by the same stitching 52 that the lower edge ofthe pocket 51 is stitched to the outer wall 45 of the coat. This pocket62 is stitched at 63 to the outer wall 45 of the coat and provides for apocket that will accommodate the long flap 58 bearing the purse 64.

If it is desired to have the purse, the long flap 58 will be pulledoutwardly of the opening 56 at the top edges of the outer and innerpockets 47 and 51 which is covered by the flap 54. When returned theflap 54 provides a pocket 53 and the person attempting to seek thepocket purse 64 when the flap is within the garment would not because ofthis flap 54 be directed to the opening 56 and would not feel the purse64 since it is carried in the inner pocket provided by the inner patchpiece 62. Flap 58 and pocket 57 is returned through the opening 61 intothe lining pocket.

In FIG. 8, there is shown a form of the invention in which doublepockets 71 and 72 are provided on the outer side of coat cloth 73. Anouter pocket piece 74 is in the form of a patch pocket and is stitchedat the bottom and up the sides by a stitching 75. To the upper edge ofthis pocket there is secured a safety pocket flap 76 similar to the flap58 of FIG. 7 and a small flap 77 adapted to cover an opening to theouter pocket 72 and be secured by snap members 78 to inner pocket wall79 of the main pocket 71 which is also secured to the coat cloth 73 bystitching 81 that connects the pocket piece 79 at the bottom of thepocket 71 and up the sides thereof. With the flap 77 secured by the snapfasteners 78, no access is readily had to the outer pocket 72. The outerpocket piece 74, the secret pocket flap 76 and the small inner pocketflap 77 are secured together by a common stitching 82.

When it is desired to remove the flap 76, the small flap 77 is unsnappedand the flap 76 can be pulled outwardly out of the top of the pocketsand this flap 76 is shorter than the flap S8 of FIG. 7 and only extendsdownwardly to the extend of the outer pocket 72 and itself has anopening 83 adapted to contain a purse or billfold 84. After the flappocket 83 has been filled with the purse 84 or other valuable items, theflap 76 can be reinserted into the pocket 72 and the flap 77 snappedtogether by its snap fasteners 78.

In FIG. 9 there is provided a construction similar to the constructionshown in FIG. 8, except the pocket for the flap is provided on theoutside of the main pocket and closed by a short flap. In this form ofthe invention there is a main pocket 86 open at its upper edge andsecured at its bottom and sides by a stitching 87 to coat wall 88. Thisconstitutes the main pocket into which one would normally placearticles, except the ones of a more valuable nature. To provide thissecret pocket, an outer pocket piece 89 is secured over the main pocketpiece by a stitching 91 that provides for an outer pocket 92 on theouter side of the main pocket. The upper edge of this outer pocket isbelow the outer edge of the main pocket 86 and to this outer or upperedge of the pocket 92 is secured by a safety pocket flap 93 by astitching 94 and which in itself has a pocket 95 into which a billfold96 may be dropped when the flap 93 is withdrawn from the pocket 92extended over the edge of the outer pocket piece 89 and permitted tohang theredown with easy access to the pocket 95. Thereafter this flap93 is lowered into the pocket 92 and a short flap 97 secured at itsupper end to the upper edge of the pocket 86 by a stitching 98 can belowered to close the pocket 92 and made secure by a button 99. One wouldnormally enter the main pocket 86 and would not necessarily learn of theflap 93 containing the flap pocket 95. One would have to unbutton alsothe short flap 97.

Referring now, to the safety pocket construction of FIGS. and 11, 101represents a coat cloth onto which there is secured a patch outer pocket102 formed of a cloth piece 103 that is secured by stitching 104extending across the bottom and up the sides of the pocket. Inside thecoat wall 101 is a safety flap pocket 105 secured to the coat cloth 101by a stitching 106. This flap 105 has a pocket 107 into which a purse108 is inserted. This pocket and the purse is thus contained whollyinside the coat cloth 101. In order to gain access to the flap andsecret pocket, a slide fastener device 109 is used and when open asshown in FIG. 11 a flap 105 can be drawn outwardly so as to overhang themain pocket 102. The slide fastener when made open to withdraw the flap105 provides an opening 110. It can be seen that the flap 105 can bereadily reinserted through the opening 110 and the slide fastener closedso as to fully contain the flap 105 and its safety pocket 107 fullywithin the coat wall and inaccessible to one attempting to gain accessto the purse by entering the main pocket 102. It should be seen that anyslide fastener and the pulling outwardly of the flap pocket wouldrequire much exertion and by the time it was effected by one other thanthe wearer of the coat, the wearer of the coat would be well alerted.

It should also be apparent that the principle construction such asdescribed in the simplest form of this invention of FIGS. 1 to 5, can bemade use of in connection with ordinary inclined slant side pockets oftrousers and with the other garments such as with breast pockets ofcoats, scarves, and money belts. The adaptation of this invention tothese other garments will now be described.

In FIGS. 12 and 13, 115 represents trousers that are supported upon thewearer by a belt 116 and within which there is a slant side pocket 117to which access can be had through a side opening 118. Connected to theupper end of the opening 118 is a puller flap 119 that has a secretpocket 120 into which a purse 121 can be inserted at its entrance pointon the flap 119. With the purse inserted therein the flap 119 and itspocket 120 is folded and hinged or pivoted into the main pocket 117 asshown in 113. The opening entrance 122 will thus be inaccessible whenthis flap 119 is placed in the pocket. The main pocket 117 can be usedfree of this flap for any article of a less valuable nature. The lengthof the flap 119 in this instance is extra long and thus the flap shouldbe rolled up before inserted into the pocket 117.

In FIGS. 14 and 15, a coat 125 is shown having a breast pocket 126 tothe upper edge of which there is stitched to the outer pocket piece flap127 that has a secret pocket 128 on its lower end and upon placing anarticle therein this flap or the pocket 128 can be rolled up as bestseen in FIG. and pivoted upwardly and tucked into the pocket without anyaccess being readily had to the flap pocket 128.

In FIGS. 16 and 17, there is shown the secret pocket applied to a scarf131 that normally has a main pocket 132 in one end thereof in whicharticles are normally placed. The scarf, of course, can be readily movedand this pocket can have ready access, and in order to prevent easyaccess to the articles, there is provided on this pocket 132 and adaptedto hang from the upper edge thereof, a flap 133 containing a secretpocket 134 of itself into which articles can be disposed and the pocket134 with the flap rolled up and inserted into the pocket 132 and in themanner as best illustrated in FIG. 17.

In FIGS. 18 and 19 there is shown the invention applied to a money belt137 that can be tied about the body of the wearer with a notch 138 fromwhich there hangs an apron portion 139 that in itself has a main pocket141 for the carrying of various articles. In order to provide safetyagainst easy removal from the money belt, a secret pocket flap 142 issecured to the upper edge of the pocket 141 and to the outer piecethereof and which can be pulled out of the pocket 141 and suspended asshown in FIG. 18 from the money belt 137 so that articles can be placedin the flap pocket 143. Thereafter, the flap pocket 143 and the flap 142is rolled up and reinserted through the pocket opening 141 to beinaccessible within the pocket 141 and in the manner as shown in FIG. 19and as described in connection with other forms of the invention.

FIGS. 20 and 21, there is shown another breast pocket assembly adaptedparticularly for specticles, but which is similar to the vest pocketshowing of FIGS. 14 and 15. According to this form of the invention, acoat 146 has a breast pocket opening 147 into the upper edge of theforward piece of the pocket opening 147 is secured a depending flap 148having a secret pocket 149 into which specticles 151 can be dropped,thereafter the pocket 149 and the flap 148 roll together and drop intothe opening 147 of the breast pocket to thereby hold the specticlesagainst removal from the pocket unless the flap 148 and the pocket 149is pulled outwardly therefrom. It should be seen that in theconstruction there is little opportunity for the specticles to slide outof the pocket opening 147 and in this manner the glasses or specticlesare kept and concealed within the breast pocket so that other articlescan be put into the breast pocket without the same interfering with thespecticles or would cause the specticles to be pulled out of the pocketmistakingly.

It should be apparent now that there has been provided a secret pocketin such a way that the valuable articles are protected from easy removalfrom the main pocket. The articles are placed in a pocket provided on aflap and the flap can be withdrawn from the pocket opening when desiredin a manner unfamiliar to one normally making use of a main pocket inthe garment of a wearer.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A garment having a main pocket with an upper edge, a flap secured tothe upper edge of the pocket and adapted to be normally carried withinthe pocket but removable over the upper edge thereof to dependtherefrom, said flap having a pocket lying on the inner side andadjacent the lower end thereof as it is suspended outwardly from theupper edge of the main pocket and adapted to receive a purse or othervaluable item, said flap being in length substantially longer than depthof the main pocket, an inner pocket lying on the garment inwardly of thegarment wall extending downwardly from the bottom of the main pocket,said garment wall having a slit opening extending from the bottom of themain pocket into the upper end of the 10 inner pocket, said flap beingextendable through the slit opening into the inner pocket locate itspurse carrying

1. A garment having a main pocket with an upper edge, a flap secured to the upper edge of the pocket and adapted to be normally carried within the pocket but removable over the upper edge thereof to depend therefrom, said flap having a pocket lying on the inner side and adjacent the lower end thereof as it is suspended outwardly from the upper edge of the main pocket and adapted to receive a purse or other valuable item, said flap being in length substantially longer than depth of the main pocket, an inner pocket lying on the garment inwardly of the garment wall extending downwardly from the bottom of the main pocket, said garment wall having a slit opening extending from the bottom of the main pocket into the upper end of the inner pocket, said flap being extendable through the slit opening into the inner pocket locate its purse carrying pocket therewithin and removed from the main pocket to secret its contents.
 2. A garment as defined in claim 1 and a further inner pocket lying on the outer side of the garment wall and within the main pocket and extending upwardly adjacent the upper edge of the main pocket, said flap being extendable between the inner and main pockets and a closure flap attached to the upper edge of main pocket and extendable downwardly over the inner pocket thereof. 